But I Die Without You
by Abby-0-Abby
Summary: 1989. Itachi Uchiha, 19 years old, wakes up in a strange place, with no memory left in his mind. As he tries to re-live his past and remember, everything changes. Will he try to stop the madness or bear the past and get himself back? Rated T. Not yaoi.
1. Please Be A Dream

**Disclaimer :** I do not own Naruto or anything related to The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall. If you read the book, you'll see it in the first line.

**Imporatant Notes :** This takes place in 1989, during the AIDS epidemic. Yes, I thought of RENT while I was writing this, and was listening to the music. Also, some of the characters are bilingual, meaning they speak two languages fluently. If you are also fluent with any of the languages that come up, if I make a mistake, _please _tell me! I'll fix it right away. I'm depending on Google translate, which doesn't work the best. Haha. If you're confused about anything, just post a review or send me a private message!

**Warnings :** Contains frequent cursing by Hidan, amnesia-like diseases, laughing suns, etc etc.

**A/N :** Woah! New story everyone! Whoo! Okay, I have a pretty good idea for this, I think. But I'm not telling xD I'm so so so so so so SO sorry that I haven't gotten to Cell Phones yet x.X I'm trying, and I'm about 1/4 way through a chapter. But, it'll probably be a bit rushed. -sigh- I think I'll end it pretty soon. ANYWAY, enjoy the story! :D

**Thanks :** Vicky and Jake for reading through this first when it was still a rough draft in my notebook. Wouldn't have put this up here if it weren't for you! And it's a little different and I added onto it while you two weren't looking. -mwahaha-

**Edits :** Agh! Finally fixed the whole 'Jashinist' thing! I didn't catch it until I read it through the third time...-sweatdrop-

* * *

ITACHI POV

My eyes snapped open. I had stopped breathing.

Black spots hovered above my eyes as I gasped in quick, dry breaths. The dusty heaves – _my_ crazed, dusty heaves – echoed lightly in what seemed like an empty room. My heartbeat thudded in my chest in a state of panic. I could feel the warmth of what felt like tears on my cheeks, but my vision was so blurred already I really could not tell.

'_Calm down, calm down…_' I thought softly, a sad, futile attempt to calm my jumping nerves.

I struggled up on my elbows, which shook under the sudden move. My joints made small pops, as if not being moved is so so so long. I tried to take in steady breaths, but each inhale and exhale was a shuddering heave.

I finally pushed myself onto my knees, slowly. I closed my eyes as I shifted to the new angle, and I could feel the sharp, static feeling behind them. I took in another shuddery breath and gently opened my eyes. The spots had not disappeared, but the static buzzed away quietly.

My shaking was also reduced to a soft tremble. I supposed that was a plus?

I brought the heels of my palms to my eyes. I had not noticed I had broken out into a cold sweat until then.

Rubbing away what were actually panicked tears upon waking up, I breathed in a steady, un-dusty, normal breath.

'_Just relax. You're okay. I'm okay.'_

As my sticky palms left my eyes, I squinted at the brightness of the room. A window was just conveniently about fifteen feet in front of me. Bright yellows and hints of soft oranges peered through it, as if looking at my face, mocking me and my pitiful state.

"_Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…"_

I shook my head warily and looked below the window, away from the mocking bright orb. Below the window was a desk. My desk? I didn't know. It didn't look familiar. I wasn't exactly sure. I twisted my head slightly to the right. A bed, with dim grey sheets in a horrid disarray, as if someone had, quite literally, fallen and stumbled out of bed. Was it me? Again, the fact was unknown to me. Between the bed and the desk, a slim wooden cabinet held a collection of books inside, which was only seen because the door of said cabinet was wide open, untouched by the caretaker. Was I the caretaker? On top of the cabinet was a digital clock, reading a bright red 16:58(1).

As I placed my hands firmly on the floor in front of me, I slowly pushed myself onto my feet. My ankles snapped and popped at the sudden movement, suddenly being moved again. As I wobbled, my feet's clumsiness – _my _clumsiness – made me back up a few steps in want for balance, and made me bump into something solid. Something that couldn't have been there before, for I had just been lying on the ground, hacking my own breath out right there.

The solid object then spoke. "Itachi, you alright?"

I thought for a moment. _'Itachi. Itachi. That sounds…familiar.' _I did not respond to the voice behind me.

Suddenly, a weight that was planted on my left shoulder made me jump. A startled grunt left my throat. The weight lifted slightly.

"Sorry, Itachi. Didn't mean to startle you," the voice apologized, sounding confused for a reason unbeknownst to me. "But, are you alright?"

I wondered. "Who…" I cleared my throat. "Who is…_Itachi?_"

Again, the weight lifted slightly. "You. Itachi, you're you. Really, are you feeling okay?"

'_Me…?'_

"Who are you?" I questioned. I avoided the question to me unintentionally.

There was a pause. The weight on my shoulder left completely, and I swore I could feel the left side of my body lurch up, as if I had been slouching to the one side. "…" Another pause. There was the thudding of slow footsteps behind me as the object (which I now expected to be human) turned and walked to what I guessed was a doorway. Then, the object's – _human's _– gruff and deep voice loudly began calling names. Names that were completely new to me.

"Kakuzu! Speed dial three!" he called first. A deep yet still slightly muffled response was given back. "Tobi, Deidara, bring Zetsu in." A very clear (and quite annoying) "Yes, Kisame-san! Tobi is a good boy!" and a whack followed by threatening grunts was heard, which then had an annoying wailing follow. "Sasori and Hidan, come up." There was no verbal response to that.

A pair of loud but not exactly heavy feet echoed off the walls, making the place sound empty. A pair of softer feet came behind the louder, slow and almost expressing the lack of concern.

I noticed I had not turned away from the window. The sun smiled at me tauntingly.

"_Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…"_

As I turned, a loud thud echoed, with a string of curses following. A monotonous "Idiot" just barely echoed, and in return, I heard glass break and wood, most likely a small table, bang against the wall.

If there really was furniture…Then there was no way their echoes could be so clear. But…what was the other choice?

Without much hesitation (still, though, maybe a second or two interval), I tapped the man's shoulder, which I noticed was very broad.

Actually, now that I tapped his shoulder and he turned to me with a questioning noise, I noticed a_ lot _of things about this guy. First of all, he was _huge._ Not only in height, whereas he must have been _at least _a half foot taller than me, but he was quite muscular, too. Second, his hair. His _hair _was a tie between a dark and light blue, but still not settling as just 'blue'. It spiked at the ends and very little of the cerulean locks intruded his face. That was the third thing. His face, though calm with a tinge of concern, was a pale, pale blue, along with the rest of his skin, and had marks along his upper-cheek bones that looked as if they were…gills? Really, if the guy didn't talk, I would have thought he was a shark.

He turned his head around slightly to face me. As I looked up at him, words caught in my throat. Suddenly, I couldn't remember what I was going to ask.

I could hear the sun laughing again. _"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…"_

I turned around completely, to face the window. The desk. The cabinet. The bed. I placed my hands in front of my face, close. I twist them around slowly.

_Who am I?_

I suddenly got that stabbing, prickling fear. The one you get when you know you've done something terrible. The one you get when you're suddenly horribly lost, even though your guide was _right there _a moment ago.

_That _stabbing,prickling feeling.

My eyes darted to the window again, ripping away my hands away from sight. The sun was lurching lower and lower, and the sky began to turn into a mirage of colors. However, the sun bore into my eyes. Laughing at me. _Taunting me._

"_You're such a fool…Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…"_

I suddenly lunged at the window, in desperation to get to the sun, attack it. The desk hit my thighs sharply, and any of its contents shook noticeably.

I stopped clawing at the window. And I looked down at the desk. I sucked in a deep breath. And let it go quickly.

I hadn't noticed the three staring figures behind me, standing slightly in the doorframe. My back to them, I must have only looked like a trembling drug addict or something. But, it wasn't the case. In all truth, I can't even remember if I did drugs at all.

I picked up the folded over brown leather in my two hands. Really, I didn't know why I was shaking so much. Maybe it was a craving for something…

I fought the urge to smack my own forehead. _'Idiot…Identity. Identity. That's what the hell I'm looking for.'_

I opened the fold-over wallet and flipped through it. Top row, a few bucks in cash, with some receipts and change lying around it. Next few rows, library cards collecting up from obviously years before now, unless my handwriting is that spaced out and big and so childlike now. A few more cards, ranging from Membership Cards to coupons, and then, in the whole mess of it, there it is. A driver's license.

There might as well have been lights shimmering around it and a chorus of angels singing.

I quickly pulled it out and dropped the wallet back on the desk, which made a stack of papers crumple. I did not care right now about what those papers were, nor would I until I got this whole thing straightened out.

I held the card to my face and stared at the picture. My eyes narrowed. I was trying to reflect what I looked like in the photo.

My eyes were in a locked glare at the camera, though showed no hate through their red orbs. Rather, it looked like boredom. Or disinterest. Whatever it was, the glare was set on just getting out of there. My hair was pulled back neatly into a low ponytail, and two ebony fringes lined part of my face perfectly. There wasn't any frizz, no having to tuck any stray hair behind the ear, nothing.

_Why_ am I paying so much attention to my hair.

I focused my attention on the left of the license. My name was the first thing I saw.

_Itachi Uchiha._

I blinked. I was almost tempted to turn back around to the blue man. _'So my name _is_ Itachi.'_

Below it, my address. Below that, my town and country. Below that, gender (M) Next to that, hair color (BLK). Eye color (RED/BLK). I had no clue what that was supposed to mean. Black and red were colors not even close to each other. Below gender, my height (5-08). Below hair color, weight (124), and then next to that is my birth date. June 9th, 1970.

I put the card back down. I breathed in deeply and then looked out of the window. The sun was gone. The mirage of color was slowly being taken over by the pre-night dark blue sky.

"Ahh, fuck it! Itachi, what happened to you, damnit – DAMN IT KISAME!" I turned on my heel to look at the loudmouth behind me.

The 'loudmouth' was attacking the blue man, who I now assumed was this 'Kisame' person. The 'loudmouth' had slicked back silver hair (which looked like there was _way _too much hair gel in), pale purple wide eyes, and pale-ish skin.

He noticed me looking at him. "Tch. Fucking asshole," he muttered to Kisame. I raised my eyebrow.

Kisame disregarded the comment and looked over to me. "Itachi." His voice was soft, yet almost dead serious. I saw the redhead roll his eyes, as if saying "Get to the point."

As a matter of fact, he did. The red head looked at me with bored eyes. "Kisame, you can tell he's not remembering anything. And he obviously remembers zilch about his personality, running into a desk like he did. What, was he trying to attack the _window?" _It almost sounded as if he forgot I was there, listening to him.

'_My personality…?' _The driver's license showed nothing about my personality. No good piece of plastic crap…

The redhead continued. "At any rate, he's not going to remember anything, especially if he doesn't remember himself. So he doesn't remember why he's here, who we are, who is _little brother _is—"

"Sasuke." My voice carried to the three standing there. They stared at me incredulously. I would have stared at _myself _like that, too. The name felt sort of right in my mouth, but…it sounded foreign, still. _'Sasuke.' _It seemed to be the only thing I remembered. "Sasuke," I repeated again.

"Okay, well Sherlock Shit remembers _something…_" the loudmouth interjected. I sent a small glare at him.

"Hidan, shut up for once, would you?" Kisame breathed pleadingly. 'Hidan' sent a side glare at him.

"Fuck off," Hidan told him. Kisame then sent a glare at him, but did not further the fight.

I stepped toward the three of them just as another pair of footsteps echoed off the walls.

'_Echoes…That was my question.'_

"Er, uh—" I stopped talking as all attention was sent to me again. "Do any of you hear…echoing?" I asked timidly, suddenly nervous for some reason. Hidan's eyes narrowed at me, probably confused at my nervousness which probably never showed up in the…_previous _me.

As the new person appeared behind the other three, Kisame and Sasori were also looking at me strangely.

I felt so small under their confused eyes. So weak and stupid. I just wished I could remember. Remember something other than the name Sasuke, who was apparently my younger brother. _Something._

Kisame then started walking towards me. As soon as he took the last step toward me, I felt a small pang in my empty memory. Something that tried to force its way back up front so I could see. But, it stayed cluttered in the back, with the rest of my memories. _Damn it._

Kisame then placed a hand on my forehead, his one eyebrow raised. I looked up, my eyes crossing slightly, to see a pale blue blur. I blinked once, twice. Then, it retreated. He put his fists on his waist and still looked at me with that raised brow. "Maybe if you rest. Then maybe you'll remember."

I gave him the incredulous look he gave me before. "Maybe when pigs fly."

Hidan snorted. "Damn, you act like a fucking kid, seriously." The man behind him smacked him in the back of the head. "What the fuck, Kakuzu?!"

"Don't be an idiot," the man, 'Kakuzu', scolded. Hidan gave a childish glare to him. Kakuzu stared back, boredom taking over the glaze in his neon green eyes.

I sighed tiredly. These people were very unreasonable.

* * *

KISAME POV

Itachi was lying down in his bed once again. I frowned. The whole thing about him not remembering anything worried me.

The only thing he could remember was Sasuke's name. Nothing – not even his own personality – had come back to him yet.

I sighed and placed my hands on my knees, standing up from the chair that was, for one reason or another, not with the desk. I placed it back at the desk, glanced one more time at the sleeping teen, and left the room, closing the door softly behind me.

As I walked down the steps, I tried to strain my hearing, so maybe, _just maybe, _I could convince myself that Itachi was not just hearing echoes. But, as hard as I strained and stepped on the stairs, there just wasn't a loud enough echo that could have reached him in that room.

I sighed again and joined the others in the living room and kitchen, which were connected to each other. Hidan sat lazily at the table, his chin rested in his folded arms with a beer bottle tapping against his lips as he thought. Deidara was trying in vain to shut the ever-spastic Tobi up just long enough so he could rid of the forming headache everyone was growing. Kakuzu leaned against the counter with folded arms, glaring at the two bickering.

"Shut up, un!" Deidara groaned for the umpteenth time. His glare was heavy and set on the orange mask.

"But-but-but – Tobi's a good boy!" Tobi wailed. As if it made a difference.

"No, Tobi's not!"

"Yes he is, Deidara-senpai! Tobi's a good boy!"

"_No, _he's not!"

"Is too!"

"Is _not!_"

"Yuh-huh! Right Zetsu-san? Tell Deidara-senpai Tobi's a good boy!"

"_Don't bring me into this…" _Zetsu's darker side growled. A white hand was placed on top of Tobi's head. "Tobi, calm down and shut your mouth. You're giving everyone a headache and Itachi's sleeping."

There seemed to be silence for a moment as this information sunk into Tobi's thick skull. "OH!" he suddenly screeched in realization. I covered my ears on instinct, blocking out the shrill noise. "Tobi gets it!" He was no quieter than before…

"_Tobi, really, SHUT UP." _Zetsu's white side winced at the harshness of his other. "Tobi, quiet down."

Tobi's shoulders hunched down slightly. "Ohh, sorry, Zetsu-san," he whispered. Zetsu nodded forgivingly.

I brought my hands back to my side as I stared at the crazy masked boy in wonder. Psycho. But, then again, it's just his ADHD catching up to him again. I'm betting on everything that he didn't take his medication.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Hidan take another swig of his beer and then let his head drop down into his arms once again. Kakuzu, who was Hidan's guardian give or take, sat down in the chair beside the tired-looking musician.

As I looked over to Sasori, I could faintly hear Hidan's tired and mildly drunk voice say something about God being not too proud of him lately or something of the sorts. As I turned to the redhead, I just wondered how many beers the religious man could have had already.

Sasori's painfully bored eyes did nothing but stare at the floor, his arms crossed loosely at his stomach. Deidara turned in his seat, which was in front of the redhead, and gave a warm smile to him. Sasori's eyes flickered up the Deidara's face, but he shook his head with a "Tch, brat" and continued examining the floor. Deidara held a childish pout for a split second before turning around, pulling on his fingerless gloves in sign of boredom, grunting some small notes to himself which I could not hear.

Suddenly, I saw Kakuzu stand, taking away Hidan's not-completely-empty bottle of beer and there was suddenly silence. Everyone's eyes were suddenly on Hidan. I peered over at the table as well.

Hidan glared over the table and at the back door. His two hands were balled up and then flexing again to release the tension.

_Ball up, flex. Ball up, flex. Ball up—_

"GOD (2) DAMNIT!" he yelled, his head flying up from his arms and pounding the table with his still balled up hands. Sasori then stood completely up, his eyes narrowed. Kakuzu narrowed his eyes as well, constraining the yelling man.

"Hidan, calm down. You're thinking too much again, moron," Kakuzu grumbled loudly. His tan hands were wrapped tightly around Hidan's pale wrists. Hidan growled loudly.

"Shut the fuck up, you stupid bastard! Descendez-moi, bon sang vous!"

"Contrôle votre français, stupide." Ah, the start of the usual bilingual fight has erupted.

"Sérieusement, aller loin!" Hidan cried in a pleading voice, trying to rip his wrists away from Kakuzu's still tight grasp.

Lord knows what they were saying. I spoke Polish and English _only_, thank you.

"You didn't take your AZT…," Kakuzu pointed out in a matter-of-factly way.

Ah, now _that _I understood.

And, to that, Hidan froze very noticeably.

"S-Shut up…" he stuttered, pale violet eyes opened up wide.

I turned away from Hidan's pitiful state. I knew, I cared, but I still didn't want to see.

Sasori had gone back to leaning against the counter with his head down and arms folded. His maroon hair messily intruded his forehead and the sides of his face, just slightly blocking his sight. I wondered.

I wondered. If just maybe, that sight of his own red hair made him think…

I shook my head. "Cholera. I shouldn't even think about that…" I muttered quietly to myself.

* * *

ITACHI POV

I strained my brain to exhaustion to try to remember something. _Anything! _The blankness was frightening and just nerve-wracking.

Now my head was pounding and throbbing. Wonderful.

I swung my feet over the side of the bed and stood, drowsily lifting a hand to rub my eyes. I wondered what was happening downstairs.

Possibly another fight between the two idiot zombie twins?

Who knows.

I stopped dead in my tracks, halfway out of the doorway.

Holy mother of God. I _remembered _something.

"Oh my God."

I ran down the steps, my feet flying over every other step and found myself turning into a kitchen. Kisame's pale blue face looked at me from over his shoulder with a questioning gaze.

My eyes, I felt, were almost falling out of their sockets. "Hidan and Kakuzu. They're fighting again, aren't they? I heard them speaking some…weird stuff…" I could sense my eyelids falling over my eyes and my hand fly in slow motion to my throbbing head. Kisame turned around and grabbed my shoulders, almost in frame-by-frame action.

His mouth moved, but he said nothing. No sound came out.

Then there was darkness once again as my eyes fell over.

"_Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…"_

I sat up in bed quickly. I blinked at brought a hand up to feel my head. There wasn't any pounding or pain. I swung my feet over the side of the bed.

Whoa. Déjà vu.

Instead of running down the steps, I walked slowly, trying to think straight. Did I pass out before? Or was it all just a dream?

Please don't let it just be a dream. _Please. _

As I reached the bottom of the stairway, I heard some sort of argument in…French? A French argument to my right. I turned right.

I found myself in a kitchen, with Kisame leaning against a counter with his back to me. I sucked in a breath and slowly let it go. Sasori turned his head to me, noticing my presence.

"Itachi's up," he said plainly over the noise. The argument stopped. All eyes turned to me.

I blinked.

"Uh, er…" I stuttered. Kisame turned his head to look at me. "Was I…down here before?" I asked, feeling small again. Kisame's eyebrow rose.

"Uh, no…?" he answered, confusion taking over. An orange masked boy looked over at me, along with a blond girl and a…a…plant-man?

"Oh, um, okay…" _Damn it all._

I walked in further to the kitchen and heard soft murmurings of "Stupide" and "Idiot" and looked to my left. I opened my mouth with a wide, excited smile to say that I remembered who they were.

But nothing came up.

I drew a pitiful blank. Just cobwebs and darkness in the back of my mind where my memory was supposed to be.

My mouth closed again in a tight, thin line. My eyes narrowed in annoyance.

Kakuzu watched my expression change so quickly. "So that was the other side of _Itachi Uchiha. _Never would have guessed."

My own name sounded odd to me, still.

I nervously tugged on a fringe of black hair. "No, it was nothing," I denied. _'I just thought I remembered who you were, though...' _I sighed shallowly and turned to the five behind me.

As I looked at everyone's faces – although, one was wearing a weird orange mask – I faintly saw a flicker of lament cross Kisame's eyes.

'_He wanted me to wake up and remember. He said that to me before everyone left the room. And I told him there was a fat chance. I probably just cursed myself. Damn jinxing skills.'_

I frowned slightly, feeling guilty. The blonde haired girl looked over at me, as if checking me over for anything suspicious.

"Itachi, you really are screwed up, un," she – _he? _That was a deep voice for a girl… – commented with a half smile. Sasori nudged her (him?).

"Deidara," he scolded lightly.

"Whaaat, un?" Deidara asked innocently, a Cheshire cat-like smile spread across her (his…) face. Sasori shook his head.

"Brat." Deidara's grin dropped.

"Am not."

"Yes, you are."

Deidara puffed his lower lip out slightly and turned away from Sasori, slouching in his chair with his arms crossed high on his chest. Sasori rolled his eyes at the childish sight.

Hidan stood quickly at the beeping sound near his waist. "Son of a bitch…" he muttered.

"Uh!" Kisame interjected loudly. I turned to him questionably. His eyes flashed to me and he held a nervous grin. "Well, uh, Itachi! How about…uh…" His face scrunched up slightly in thought. I raised my eyebrow at him. "Uh, maybe if you walk around a little bit! Maybe your memory will come back…?" He held his tense smile for a short while.

I thought for a moment. _'What's wrong with him…?'_

However, I nodded. "Maybe."

Kisame let out a breath that he seemed to have been holding.

As I slipped on a light jacket that Kisame handed to me, I heard a soft mutter that I couldn't understand.

"Zamknij zaproszenia…"

I turned my head to Kisame, who was the only one behind me. "Hm?" I questioned.

His gazed snapped up to meet mine's. "Oh! Ah, it's nothing," he answered with a nervous chuckle.

I turned away from him again and closed my hand around the doorknob. At least the sun wasn't out.

* * *

**End of Chapter 1 : _Please Be A Dream_**

* * *

(1) 16:58 – 4:58PM

(2) Hidan's Christian. No Jashinism here. :D

"Descendez-moi, bon sang vous!" – Get off me, damn you! (French)

"Contrôle votre français, stupide." – Control your French, stupid. (French)

"Sérieusement, aller loin!" – Seriously, go away! (French)

"Cholera." – Damn. (Polish)

"Zamknij zaproszenia…" – Close call… (Polish)

**A/N :** Ah! So, what did you think? :D I know, this is the second time I've edited it a little, so what? Please R&R! Read and review~ You will make a very happy Abby :D


	2. I Wonder

**Disclaimer :** I don't own. D;

**Warnings :** Cursing and drugs.

**Edits :** Language correction (Polish - thanks kanazuki!), disclaimer and author's note.

* * *

ITACHI POV

As I walked slowly in the amber-lit sidewalks, I wondered. I wondered just what exactly happened. I wondered where I was, and how I got there, and even why I was there at all. I wondered who all of those people _really _were, other than just "Kisame" or "Hidan". The real them, I wondered about.

I wondered.

Kisame had his hands shoved deep in his pockets, his head raised slightly upward to watch the stars move away as he proceeded walking forward. His gaze was frozen, unmoving it seemed. But, as his eyes flickered over to me, I was proven wrong.

I shifted my gaze to the ground in front of me and watched my feet, the amber lighting from the light posts making the ground an ugly orange color.

Kisame exhaled a soft, slow sigh. I pursed my lips in thought, wondering what he was sighing about. Or was there even a reason at all?

I lifted my gaze again when I heard a fight happening across the street. My feet stopped moving, as did Kisame's. I turned my head, where a tall, dirty blond man was yelling at a shorter blonde man and what looked like a Hispanic teenage girl about my age.

"Oh, hell." Kisame's gruff voice carried into my ears. "Roger Davis."

"Who?" I questioned.

"Roger Davis," he repeated, nodding at the dirty blonde haired man. "He used to be a part of Hidan's band before he called it quits. Something about his girlfriend committing suicide or something. Hidan was pretty pissed about it, too."

"Oh." Roger stormed away from the two others. The girl went after him and tried to grab his arm, but he roughly pulled away. I looked away and up at the light post's blaring amber glow, distracting myself from the fight. As my feet shuffled away and my gaze set back in front of me, I heard cries of rage and sadness from the girl's ragged voice.

Kisame hesitated before following after.

By the time Kisame had caught up with me, I had wondered even more.

"Kisame," I asked, "why are we out here?"

He replied, "To try to see if you could get any memory back."

I grunted. It wasn't working. Kisame obviously knew that was the situation when a deep, pathetic chuckle emitted from his throat.

"God…I'm such an idiot…" he muttered. I looked at him. A sad smile was printed onto his features, along with glassy gold-orange eyes to match. He didn't face me. Just the passing stars above him.

"I mean," he continued, "I guess I was just too stupid to see the big picture…God…" He shook his head, the line of his smile slowly inching down. He then looked up at me, with an incredulous face and a renewed smile. He chuckled, a fake sound. "You." He pointed a finger at me, his eyebrows raised, the fake smile widening. "_You_ should be in a hospital, or seeing a doctor, or at least with a psychiatrist! But, _no_, I _had_ to tell him that you didn't have to go to any of those places. I had to be a complete _idiot _to not see what the hell's wrong with you. God…" He had stopped walking. He slipped one of his hands out from his pocket and ran it through his hair. He looked down. "I just –"

"Stop." I turned to him after walking in front of him. He raised his head slightly, a confused look in his eyes. I felt my eyebrows narrow. "Stop." He blinked a few times before straightening himself and putting his hand back at his side.

"Itachi…" Though his voice was quiet, a wide smile – a _knowing _smile – spread across his face. "Dzięki Bogu …"

I had no idea what he was talking about. But, without a doubt, I must have done something right.

----------------------------------

When the front door slammed closed, I instantly regretted entering the house.

"YO!" I almost covered my ears at the loud outburst, but cringed in its place. Hidan stormed through the kitchen entryway, not noticing mine or Kisame's return, and stormed loudly up the steps after the quiet Kakuzu. "Bastard, give those back!"

"I'm just checking the notes and tempo, be patient, idiot," Kakuzu smoothly replied, flipping through the notebook that Hidan was trying to grab away.

"But it's not done!"

"Finish it after I check the beginning."

I didn't bother to listen to the rest as I shrugged the jacket off of my shoulders. A loud screech sounded from the kitchen and the boy with the orange mask scampered out of the entry, with a fuming Deidara running after him.

"Deidaraaa! I'm sorry! Tobi's a good boy –"

"TOBI, SHUT UP!" Deidara yelled, his (I was quite certain it was a guy) gloved hands raised in attempt to smack or strangle the whimpering masked boy, supposedly 'Tobi'.

Sasori leaned tiredly in the doorway, rubbing his forehead. "Deidara—"

"WHAT?!"

Sasori's eyes narrowed painfully, and he glared wholeheartedly at the blonde. "Deidara, I'm not going to say it again, so listen for once: Shut. The _hell. _Up."

Deidara looked as if he were about to yell back, but then looked away from everyone, letting out a grunt of annoyance. Sasori sighed and shook his head, turning away from everyone and walking back into the kitchen. Tobi retreated from his hiding spot behind the banister and quietly shuffled into the room next to the stairs, shutting the door before any light could have been seen.

Deidara's head whipped around to show his face to us. The thick fringe covering his one eye hid only one of the glares.

"What?" he questioned threateningly.

I blinked once, but then looked away, feeling small again against his sharp eyes. I didn't answer.

Kisame had found himself watching the fight too, I guessed, because he muttered something about "time of month", but didn't further the comment.

Whether Deidara heard or didn't hear Kisame, I didn't know. However, he stormed off again, back into the kitchen, without another word. I looked back at the kitchen, and cringed a little when a door slammed.

"W…What's wrong with him?" I asked Kisame, who had made his way in front of me after sliding his own jacket off.

"Mm. Tell you later," he told me, looking away as if whatever just happened didn't matter. Though, by the way his face was set, it did matter. Maybe a whole lot, maybe not so much. But it mattered.

* * *

DEIDARA POV

Stupid Tobi. Stupid _fucking _Tobi. He just _had _to find my medical records and _quite loudly _note how much my weight dropped since a few months ago, and _quite loudly _note how much my looks have changed. So I got skinnier and paler, _so what? _I could just be sick for all _he _knows! He doesn't have to know that—

"_Deidara…"_

"No. Shut up." I felt my heart begin to beat loudly. It wasn't there. There was _nothing there._

"_But, Deidara…he's waiting for you…Please go see him…"_

"No, I'm not going back to him…"

"_He's got a great deal for you, y'know… And, he thinks that rock goes quite nicely with your personality—"_

"SHUT UP, JUST SHUT UP!" I felt a thin drop of sweat drip down the side of my temple.

"_Oh, but, friend—"_

"I'M NOT—"

My door slammed against the wall as it was roughly pushed open, and I froze, my fisted hands stuck partially in the air.

"Deidara!" I turned my head to look at Zetsu's half-colored face. His eyes were narrowed slightly, but he showed more concern than anger. I think. "Who are you yelling at?"

"Uh, er, no one," I denied quickly. "J-Just leave me alone!"

His stare bore into me, making me look away. But, just that one glance. He knew I was lying.

"Right." His ran a hand through his dark green hair and sighed. I noticed he was no longer in the fly-trap costume he was previously adorned in.

"So, uh, you're haunted house duty's done, huh?" I asked, hopefully changing the subject. I knew he wasn't going to leave, so might as well have _some_ sort of conversation…

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Sucks to be a teacher, don't it, un?" A taunting smile pulled at my cheeks.

"No, teaching's fine. It's the faculty that decides to suck."

"Aha. So, when are you going to take off that face paint, un?"

"Mm, soon, I guess." He shrugged his shoulders lazily. He rubbed the palm of his hand against the black side of his face, most likely only remembering he had it on. I watched some of it smear onto his hand.

I felt another drop of sweat run down the side of my face. I wiped it away quickly as Zetsu looked down to wipe his hand on his jeans.

"By the way," he said, looking back up, "What happened to Tobi?"

"Get out."

"What?"

"Get_. Out."_

He narrowed his eyes at me, his hard glare coming back. "Okay, fine. I'll ask him, though, so it won't matter."

I glared at him. The door swung back into the doorframe with a click as he left.

"_That was close, Deidara…now, how about that man…"_

I shuddered, the voice hitting my ear coldly. "But—"

"_Now, now, Deidara…don't make a fuss…he might have already sold that rock away by the time you agree…"_

I breathed deeply.

I pulled my jacket off of my desk chair and shoved myself into it. With its sleeve, I wiped away some beads of sweat that began to trickle slowly down my brow. "Okay. Let's go."

* * *

KISAME POV

The dark liquid warmed my mouth as I began setting the mug of coffee back down. Itachi sat across from me, his thin hands wrapped loosely around the mug in front of him. He didn't drink any.

"What happened to Deidara?" he asked quietly, looking up from staring at the coffee.

I stammered, "Uh, er, well—"

"I mean, I knew he was yelling at Tobi and everything, but why did he run out of the house like he did?"

I froze. I stared at Itachi. "What do you mean he ran out of the house?"

"You didn't see him? He had his coat about half on and was sweating and everything. His eyes looked a bit weird too—"

"Oh shit. Oh _shit, _he's out?!" Itachi's mouth hung open and was about to answer, but I couldn't just let him keep talking. I stood up quickly, the chair falling backwards in a clash. His eyes widened a couple millimeters. I turned and dashed to the front door, yelling out names. "Sasori! Kakuzu!"

"W-Wait!" he called, standing up as well and quickly walking towards me. "What's wrong? Why are you going out for him?"

"I'll tell you later! _Hidan_, hurry up! We'll be back." I rushed my words out of my mouth as quickly as I could and followed Kakuzu and Sasori out, Hidan following behind me.

Hidan was grumbling about how this was the crappiest night for him yet, though I highly doubted that.

"Damn, why do we have to go out for him? Seriously, he'll be back home!" Hidan whined as he slowly ran behind the three of us.

"Shut up, idiot!" Kakuzu shouted without looking back at the loudmouth. I could almost hear Hidan's teeth grinding together as he was about to come up with another string of unneeded curses. I could _feel _it.

However, Hidan's to-be rant was cut off as Sasori stopped his running. "There he is," Sasori breathed. I looked at where Sasori's eyes were directed at. Sure enough, there was the blonde, across the street, walking away with his face hidden in the collar of his jacket, away from a scraggly man. I shook my head.

"He needs to be stopped," I muttered, still staring at Deidara.

And then, just what we didn't need.

"YO, DEIDARA!" Hidan's loud and very obnoxious voice carried over the whirring and honking of cars that drove down the road. Deidara's head whipped around in fear. Fear? Yeah. His eyes. Deer in headlight look. That's fear.

"Hidan!" Kakuzu's deep voice just made the scolding harsher. Hidan didn't flinch. In fact, he probably wasn't even listening.

"Deidara! God damn it!" Hidan had fully ignored Kakuzu and was running across the street as the red light lit up the hoods of the stopped cars. I heard Kakuzu hit his forehead with his hand as he groaned. Sasori was slowly making his way across the street while the red light continued to keep the cars from running him over.

I shook my head. Sasori, you crazy bastard, I didn't think you'd stoop to Hidan's level.

* * *

DEIDARA POV

I handed off my money into the partially gloved hand of Jeremy. He grunted with a nod as he handed me the bag. I shoved it quickly in my pocket and turned away from him, flipping up the color up my jacket, covering up anything suspicious. Oh, hell, let's face it: I can't cover up anything about me for my life. I swear, my life's just exposed. It feels as if everyone just _knows._

I shuddered at the thought.

"_Ahh, Deidara. Feeling better?"_

"Shut up."

"_Oho, I know you feel good. Just get that stuff heated up and – Oh, look at that. Your friends are right across the street."_

I shook my head. "Stop trying to get me home faster."

"_Really, Deidara…Look."_

I felt my forehead bunch up as I narrowed my eyes. "No, I'm not—"

"YO, DEIDARA!"

My head whipped around at the obnoxious call of my name.

Oh God.

"_See? I told you, you idiot."_

I felt my feet carry me away quickly, and my hands left my pockets to lift the collar of my jacket up, attempting to hide my face ever more so once I turned it away. It was useless now, but maybe if I got away quick enough—

"Deidara! God damn it!"

It was times like now that I hated having only half of my sight. I only knew that on the way down, there was a line of brick building, a large break in between two of them for an alleyway to take its place. I paid no attention to it because I didn't think _they_ would be here.

Shit, now I really wish I actually remembered where it was.

I saw my breath make small clouds in front of me, showing the cold through the amber lights on the side of the street. I could barely feel myself breathing by the time Hidan grabbed the collar of my jacket. Out of my right eye, I could see him glaring.

"Dude, what the _hell _is your problem?" Hidan yelled, shaking me slightly. I cleared my throat when I felt the bag hit the side of my left leg.

"Hidan, be quiet." Sasori's voice growled over the roughened air. Oh, great, _he_ was here too.

Hidan breathed angrily out of his nose. "Fuck, Sasori…"

"Let him down, for Christ's sake." I knew, even with my eye just about half closed, that Sasori was giving Hidan the evil stare. "And shut your mouth."

With only a little hesitation, I felt Hidan drop me, and I fell backwards. My back hit the corner of something and I fell back even further, my head hitting something metal before hitting the ground.

So _that's _where the alley was...

After a chorus of honking splitting my head open, I heard Kisame yell out to me. More footsteps became clear.

Ugh, there was this buzzing noise in my head that just wouldn't leave. As I felt a pair up hand hook under my shoulders and lift me halfway up, I let my head droop over, and I coughed out whatever was stuck in the back of my throat.

"Geez, kid…" Kakuzu grumbled. I cleared my throat again and let out a short pant. Whoever was holding me up lifted me onto my feet and slung my left arm around their shoulders. Kakuzu stepped forward and slung my right arm around his shoulders, shaking his head. "God…"

"Well, time to go home, I guess," Kisame's voice muttered. He wasn't happy. At all. Shit.

Hidan and Sasori nodded. Here we go.

* * *

ZETSU POV

After showering and getting into much more comfortable clothes than that stupid costume, I made my way to the kitchen to get some late coffee. I breathed deeply, hearing the loud commotion from the bathroom as everyone chased after Deidara.

Eh, I didn't bother. It's not like they could stop him from getting his precious crack. Eventually, though, I'll get him into a rehab center and force him to _stay_ there…

As I poured the black-brown liquid into a plain white mug, I heard a small scraping sound to my left. I turned my head. Itachi was sitting at the table, his head half hidden in one of his arms, dragging a finger across the table top.

"Oh, hey," I said to him, setting the coffee pot down. He looked up with his eyes.

"Hey." He was confused. Ah, poor kid. He has no clue who I am anymore.

"I'm Zetsu," I introduced. He blinked and raised his head. He looked my face over, probably wondering how the black and white makeup _magically _(sarcasm) turned into my darkish brown skin.

"Makeup?" Lightbulb.

"Halloween."

"Oh." He stood up, taking the mug that was next to him. I could tell he never drank any of it. Small light brown beads rolled down the side of the mug as he drowsily made his way to the sink.

"Have you seen Tobi?" I asked, hoping he knew who I was talking about.

He froze for a moment or two, thinking. "You mean the one in the mask?"

"Yeah."

"He went into some room by the stairs. I haven't seen him since…"

"That's his room. Thanks." I nodded to him and took my cup of coffee with me, leaving Itachi alone in the kitchen.

The floorboards squeaked and moaned as I made my way down the hall and turned to Tobi's door. I knocked. "Tobi?"

"Yes, Zetsu?" His voice was tired and unhappy. Hm, opposites.

"Coming in," I told him as I opened the door.

I didn't know what I was expecting, but I don't think it was all of the lights turned out, Tobi wearing all black, and hiding somewhere in his room.

"Ah, shit. Tobi! Where are you?" I squinted through the dark.

"Sorry, Zetsu!" I saw a form pop up from the closet. I sighed.

"Tobi, come out now…" I grumbled, "I'm pretty sure they'll be back soon…"

"Uhh…Zetsu, Deidara—"

"Don't worry about him. Come out, now."

Tobi sighed. "Okay, Zetsu."

I watched his slumped over figure trudge toward the doorway I was standing in. The light was shed upon his sloppy self, and I raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked. I hit him lightly in the side of the head, hoping to get his ADD juices spinning. Haha, hoping, for once, that he acts like a child on heroin…

Almost as if by a strike of _magic_ (note that wonderful sarcasm there, children), I almost heard a popping sound (like in those stupid cartoons Deidara watches when he gets depressed…) as Tobi straightened up in a jump, adjusted his slightly slanted mask, and let himself spaz freely, without me stopping him.

"Zetsuuuuuu! Let's find Itachi! Itachi must be _so _lonely without us! Itachi, Itachi, Itachiiiii!"

…

Oh, dear _Lord. Why _didn't I just leave him in the _closet…_

Tobi sped down the hallway, probably looking to find and obviously annoy his victim Itachi, while I slowly followed behind, wondering why I didn't let him sulk in the darkness of his closet.

"ITAAAAAACHIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!"

"WOAH."

Seems like Tobi has caught his prey. Sigh.

I leaned on the doorframe of the kitchen, sipping a first sip at my now slightly cold coffee. Tobi, who had been practically _screaming_ in Itachi's ears nonstop for the past three minutes and was probably making them _bleed_ by now, was happily making himself something to eat as a snack.

A very _sugar coated, teeth rotting, stomach-aching _snack.

Wonderful.

I brought the mug away from my mouth and looked to where Tobi and Itachi were…er, _conversing._ Should I call it that? It was more like a one-sided conversation; a screaming child and a just recently woken up teen who probably now has internal bleeding in his ears.

"SO, ITACHI!" I cringed. That voice really was annoying…

Itachi looked about ready to smash his pale head into a wall, so I interrupted. "Tobi, I will lock you into a cage full of wild animals and see how you like being screamed at if you don't quiet down."

Tobi paused, and everything was quiet.

Ah, sweet, sweet silence.

"DEIDARA, YOU ARE A FUCKING RETARD, YOU KNOW THAT?!"

So much for that.

"GAH, SHUT THE HELL UP. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU UNDERSTAND, ASSHOLE!"

"WHAT WAS THAT, BLONDIE?!"

"OH NOTHING, ALBINO DOUCHEBAG—"

Ouch, my virgin ears.

"Alright, alright, that's enough," I interjected, setting down the mug on the counter and walking up to the two. I towered over them (advantage of height, go me) and pushed them away from each other so at least their foreheads weren't going to crack against the pressure.

"STUPID BLONDE GIRL—"

"Hidan," I growled. "_**That's enough**_."

Hidan stared at me. "Hey, hey, hey! Don't you go fucking evil on me—"

I glared at him.

Deidara snickered as Hidan turned away with a pout, defeated.

"You too, Deidara," I said, turning my head to look at him, still with the glare plastered on my face. "Enough with you, too."

He glared right back. Bah, I knew he was a troubled kid, but _really_, he _knows_ not to start a glare fight with me.

Pretty soon, he sharply turned away and stormed down the short hallway to the kitchen, screaming out "I HATE ALL OF YOU!" and probably scaring Tobi and Itachi all the way to hell, followed by a loud door slam.

I put my arms down and gave a rough sigh. "He meet up with that guy again?" In response to the question, Sasori turned to the stairs and slowly ascended them.

"Agh, yeah," Kisame muttered, being the only one to volunteer. Kakuzu had immediately gone up the stairs, probably to his own room to get away from everything going on and absorb himself in his money.

Itachi and Tobi came out of the kitchen, sort of frightened-looking after Deidara stormed past them.

"Zetsuuu…" Tobi cried. Itachi half cringed at the whine.

"What happened to Deidara?" he asked as he slowly inched away from Tobi.

I shrugged. "You don't have to worry about it right now." Itachi stared at me, almost attempting a glare, but probably felt no need to.

Kisame entered our little chat. "Maybe some other time, I'll tell you, Itachi." He raised his wrist and looked down at it, peering at his watch. "It's late. Why don't you go to bed?"

"Alright…" Itachi made it halfway up the stairs, but stopped. "Uh, er, where is it?" he asked.

"I'll show you," Kisame told him and started to trail behind him.

I turned to Tobi. "You go to bed, too. It's late." Sheepishly, he nodded, and shuffled his way back to his room next to the stairs.

"Goodnight, Zetsu," he whispered.

"Night, kid."

* * *

**End of Chapter Two : I Wonder…**

* * *

Dzięki Bogu : Thank God (Thanks kanazuki!)

**A/N :** Did ya see?! It was Roger and Mimi and Mark! Ahhh~ x3 This won't be the first time that they will come up. They'll come in in later chapters. And and and! I finally got a few of my Cell Phone readers to read this :D And others too! Thank you guys! I was worried that this would be forgotten. But I was wrong! :D


	3. It's A Hard Knock Life

**A/N:** I'm so sorry! T__T Very late, I know.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own.

* * *

ITACHI POV

Hidan was an odd person.

It seemed that every time I was within 10 feet of him (which, just so you know, was not often), he was talking about one if these four things:

-God and religion in general (usually a fight with the atheist Kakuzu)

-Music (again, usually a fight with Kakuzu over notes and tempo and whatnot)

-Swearing and cursing (fight with Kakuzu)

-Sex (hopefully not with Kakuzu)

Or, on the rare occasion I'm actually listening to him and less than 10 feet away, it could sometimes be all four at once.

Obviously not your normal, day-to-day person. But, to be honest, I didn't expect anything 'normal' from him. The first moment I saw him with his silver-white hair and his purple eyes, I figured that he was _trying _to be out-of-the-ordinary.

But, I soon learned that there was no 'trying' in it.

----------------------------------

It was still early in the morning when I woke up. 7 AM, actually. The sun hadn't peeked over the horizon of trees yet, which still made my room feel dark and empty.

Dark, empty…so lonely.

However, I realized that maybe it would be a better morning if the sun weren't laughing in my face, so I pushed all depressing thoughts to the side and slinked out of bed.

For the most part, I figured that I was the only one up this early. Everybody seemed like the sort of people who would sleep in until noon or later and _still _be tired.

As I thought this, I tiptoed down the flight of stairs to make sure I didn't wake anyone up by the moaning of the steps. With only a few creaks here and there, I made it down to the first floor, safe and without waking anybody up in a rampage. I sighed in relief.

Unfortunately, the morning still wouldn't be quiet, no matter how much careful tiptoeing I did.

"Roger, you _fucking_—Oh, Mark. Shit, sorry about that. Roger there?" Hidan's loud and angry voice made me stop breathing for a second, the sudden outburst in the quiet house scaring me for a moment. I peered around the corner of the wall I was next to, and through the hallway leading into the kitchen, I could see Hidan. He was sitting on the stool, slumped forward with only an elbow propping him up, one hand gripping the phone that was pressed to his ear, the other hand running through his hair tiredly before dropping down on the table again. His back was turned to me, so as far as I knew, he had no clue I was there.

As he sat up a little straighter, I quickly pressed my back to the wall next to me and looked straight ahead of me, not daring to look back around the corner. I quietly slid down the wall and listened as he began speaking again.

"Roger, you motherfucking cocksucker!" Again, Hidan's loud voice made my breathing hitch a little as it startled me again. "For fucking Christ's sake, you didn't—Shit, you know what the hell you did! God damn it, you ass!—Oh yeah, you're a _real _man, fucker—Kakuzu, get off of the other line, I can handle this—No, Kakuzu, I seriously got it!—Damn it, just—FINE, YOU HANDLE IT!"

I cringed as Hidan continued yelling, even though Kakuzu was probably settling whatever was going on. When I heard a chorus of groans behind me, I whipped my head around to the stairs. Kisame, Deidara, and Sasori were standing there, yawning and glaring. Kisame slumped with the wall supporting him, and Sasori and Deidara leaned on the staircase.

Deidara looked down at me. "How long you been sitting there, un?" He pushed a few strands of tangled blonde hair out of his face as he looked down at me, expecting an answer and ignoring Hidan's yelling.

"Um, a few minutes…" I answered. Which could be considered a lie if you were precise with time.

Deidara nodded and yawned again. "Mm, I'm going back to bed," he announced tiredly to everyone who was willing to listen. When he trotted back up the stairs, I thought for a second, and asked,

"I thought his room was by the kitchen?"

Sasori nodded. "It is."

"Then why is he going upstairs?"

"You ask a lot of questions, brat."

I blinked at his response. I felt my eyes narrow for a few moments, but they snapped open again when something crashed in the kitchen. Kisame grunted and stood up straight, and Sasori, after glancing at me briefly, stood up lazily and walked down the remainder of the steps with Kisame.

I stood from my sitting position against the wall. Another crash, with more cursing.

"Damn it, Hidan…" Kisame muttered as he and Sasori walked in front of me, as if they were protecting me from whatever danger was in our way. Although, I doubted very much that they thought of it that way.

Hidan stood in front of a broken glass, glaring at it, as if it would piece back together by itself under his evil eyes. When the fact finally dawned upon him that it had no way of getting back together without making him pick up the broken pieces himself, he shrugged and turned away from the mess. I felt myself staring at him for some reason. He seemed so much more calmed down now. Almost like nothing that happened on the phone happened.

Before I could let myself even _think _about just letting whatever happened go, I saw him pick up another glass and chuck it, full force, at the opposite wall. I cringed, listening to the splintered glass hit the floor and Hidan growl in frustration.

"Hidan, don't break the glass," Sasori sighed. I couldn't help but stare at Sasori now. How could he just say it like that? As if it weren't a big deal? Why didn't they go stop him?

Sasori, who must have noticed I was staring at him, explained. "This is normal for Hidan. Can't really do much about it without getting yourself killed in some way. Just let him cool down for a bit."

I nodded, but still wondered_. Normal? _I didn't think so. But, then again, when would you think that someone with silver hair and purple eyes would be even close to _normal_?

Kisame looked back at me, and cracked a grin. "You'll get used to it in no time."

----------------------------------

After the whole dilemma, Kakuzu had come down, Tobi had woken up, and Deidara came back down, but I didn't see Zetsu anywhere.

I asked Kisame.

"Oh, he works at the High School. He's a teacher." I kept quiet, waiting for more. However, he seemed totally oblivious that I was still wanting more information. When he didn't say anything else, Tobi chimed in.

"Mhm! He teaches Juniors and Seniors, and sometimes some of the Freshmen. He doesn't really have much to teach to the Sophomores though, so he just skips them and tries to EAT them! And then, when a sophomore tries to ask him a question, he goes ROOARR, and scares them off! And then, when _another_ teacher asks him a question, he goes ROOAR at them too! So, then!—"

"I think he gets it, Tobi," Kakuzu interjected. Tobi looked at him, then back at glass of soda that he hadn't taken a drink out of yet. Kakuzu nodded, as if congratulating himself for quieting the non-stop talking.

The table sat in silence for a while.

Finally, Hidan, who looked as if he were sitting there anxiously, stood up. I looked at him, and he looked back. However, he looked away after a few seconds, and so did I.

"Going out?" Deidara asked, though obviously didn't care much and he fiddled around with his spoon.

However, Hidan answered anyway, with a nod and a grunt, and was on his way.

* * *

HIDAN POV

I kicked the gravel and dirt that was in my way, making a thin and crooked path.

I didn't know where I was walking exactly, but if I needed to get back to where I was, at least I had a path. Which just goes to prove I'm not as stupid as some assholes let on.

I sighed, closing my eyes and still walking, etching a path into the dirt and gravel. My head was tilted down, thinking. I don't know exactly what I was thinking about, but it was a good excuse so no one would bother me.

Not that anyone was really around anyway, but…

Suddenly, I felt a cold drop slide down the bridge of my nose, and I opened my eyes, instantly narrowing them. I smelled the heavy, damp air.

"Well, yippidee-fucking-doo. Rain."

And it started to rain. More like pour. Fucking fantastic.

I growled over the rainfall as I pulled my jacket over my head, and turned around, running down my crooked dirt-gravel path. I growled again as the rain began to screw it up.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," I repeated to myself over and over. Though the path wasn't over, I could already hear the honking and squealing of the city. I looked up, and the amber lights glowed lightly in the mist.

_Almost there._

The rain was making me tired, and I closed the jacket over my head a little tighter. I couldn't get sick. Not before the competition, no fucking way.

I ran harder, stomping my feet against the dirt and rocks under me and trying not to slip. The city was coming closer, I could feel it. I quickened my pace.

I slid on the gravel a little, bringing my feet to a halt. I panted, stepping onto the solid concrete of the sidewalk next to the busy street. I made it. Now, just to get home…

I took a deep breath and my knees bent, trying to get some air. I sniffed up the running snot that was dripping out of my nose, and forced my body to listen and get up. The rain was coming down even harder than before, which made it hard to see past the streetlight in front of me.

Suddenly, a loud screech made me look into the street, but instead a familiar black Ford Escort blocked my way. The window rolled down, but I didn't have to see who it was to know who.

"Hidan, what are you doing out here?" Zetsu asked, already clearing the front seat from schoolwork and papers. I grabbed the handle and flung the door open, climbing inside the warm car and shrugging.

"I had to get out. Didn't know it would start to fucking pour though." I glared at the sky again, but figured it was no use. I was in the car, not like I can get sick now.

"Hm. I don't remember saying you could get in the car, but I guess it doesn't matter now. But, let me take a guess; you got lost again, didn't you?" Zetsu's voice hinted some teasing while he rolled up the window again.

I felt my eyes narrow and my face grow warm slightly in embarrassment. "Hell no! I don't get lost, jackass." Zetsu chuckled.

"Whatever you say. But, if you're not lost, then I guess you want to walk home?" I stared at Zetsu in disbelief, but I noticed he was holding a grin. I hit him in the arm.

"Jackass."

"Sure sure. But, don't hit me while I'm driving, because if we end up in the hospital—_I'll blame you_."

I waved the warning off. "Yeah yeah, I know. Don't have to go evil on me, geez."

Zetsu shrugged. "Just saying."

"You're always 'just saying.'"

"Ah, you noticed."

"…You're so fucking weird."

"Au contraire."

"Shut up."

Zetsu held a small smile to himself. "Just don't get lost again. You're a pain to deal with."

I was tempted to hit him again, but I didn't. "Gee, thanks."

"Very welcome."

"It was sarcasm, idiot."

"I know that."

"I hate you."

"Love you too."

I shook my head and looked out the window. I give up on this guy, seriously.

----------------------------------

By the time we got home, the downpour had lifted to a light rain. Zetsu parked the car and I got out, slamming the car door behind me. I knew that Zetsu was probably glaring at me for that, but who cares. It's nothing new.

The front door squeaked a little when I opened it, and the house was, for one weird reason or another, silent. I arched an eyebrow, throwing my coat on the end of the banister.

"Yo, anyone here?" I called. For five seconds, I waited for a response, but there wasn't one. "What the hell, no one's home."

Zetsu came in from behind me, muttering, "I'm here."

I turned around and groaned. "Not you, idiot."

Zetsu _hrmph_ed and hung up his jacket. "Well, maybe they all went out."

I smacked my forehead. "You know what…"

"Yes?"

"Stop talking."

Zetsu shrugged and, before going upstairs, checked Tobi's room briefly. Being that he closed the door pretty quickly, the room was probably a mess.

I made my way to the kitchen and went right through it to the living room. I picked up the guitar that was quietly sitting in the corner next to the couch and threw myself at the couch backwards, landing on my back.

I hadn't even touched one of the strings yet when Zetsu walked in.

"Sasori just called—He said that Kisame was showing Itachi around the college and everyone else was food shopping. I'm going to go down to the college to meet up with Itachi and Kisame, want to come?"

I shook my head. "Nah. I'm sort of tired from walking around. I'll stay here."

Zetsu nodded, and he walked away. Once the front door shut I threw myself back and sighed.

"Finally. Alone."

* * *

ITACHI POV

I stood on the now all-too familiar front porch, looking back at Zetsu and Kisame, sitting in the car at the side of the road. Kisame looked at me, and Zetsu nodded a little. I nodded back, and they drove off.

Really, the only reason they were leaving was to check up on the guys that went to the store, who (unsurprisingly, Kisame said), hadn't come back yet. So, they somehow came to conclusion to just drop me off back at the house because they claimed I looked tired. Which I wasn't.

Once they had gone and left my sight, I turned the knob of the front door and lightly pushed it open. And, for whatever reason, it was almost nearly silent. Maybe no one was home? I thought they said that someone was here, but maybe they left?

I slid my jacket off in mid-thought, shutting the door behind me with my foot. It clicked loudly, and there was suddenly an abrupt stop in the silence. It was only now I noticed music was playing, soft and far away. The air around me stayed still, and there really wasn't any sound.

I didn't move. I didn't make a sound. I waited.

The music started again, and I took a quiet inhale of breath.

As silent as possible, I tiptoed down the hall leading to the kitchen, and the music became clearer. It was an acoustic guitar, I noted, and nothing else. No, scratch that. There was humming, too.

I listened closely, and could make out only a couple of words when they were actually sung. "Wanted dead or alive."

Well, it was obvious what he was playing, now.

He switched on and off, humming and singing, or didn't make a sound at all. As far as I knew, though, he didn't make a mistake.

And I just realized I had no idea who was actually playing.

I didn't want to suddenly turn around and be seen, but I didn't know what other choice there was. Or maybe they'll just decide to get up and I'd just so happen to be there.

Or, maybe I should just leave altogether and forget about it.

Thinking that last thought, I turned around, and the floor creaked loudly under my foot.

Thus, the music stopped, and, well well well, I'm horrible at sneaking.

"…Kid."

It was funny, I didn't even bother turning around, but I knew who it was. The person I pretty much _least _wanted to see very morning, noon, and night. The one and only Hidan.

I was pretty much stuck to my spot, and it didn't help me much that Hidan reached over and hit me upside the head. But, for some reason, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

"You coulda came in, you know," he said to me. I could almost sense the mocking grin that was on his face.

"Oh, um…well, I just didn't – you know, bother you or anything…" I lied. I just didn't want to get pummeled.

For some reason, he laughed at this. Hard. I turned my head, and his semi-deep laugh was even more exploding with his face being so strangely, manically happy-looking.

Pretty soon, the crazy laughing died down, and he said, "Damn, kid. What the hell happened to you."

Then he walked away, leaving me with a question that he knew I couldn't answer, and a different tune I didn't recognize filled up the small space once again.

* * *

ZETSU POV

"Not our fault! You're the one that made that list, idiot!"

I sighed, Deidara's voice just about to make my ears crack. "You realize there wasn't a list, don't you? Nobody writes lists."

"Liar! Sasori was holding onto it, I saw it!"

"That's pretty pathetic to mix up a grocery list and a _suicide _note."

"It wasn't a suicide note," Sasori grumbled, briefly entering our conversation.

"Sure, sure. Anyhow, Deidara, face it – there wasn't a list. You know not to listen to Tobi if he tells you to get something. It's probably disgusting and packed with _sugar_ and other fattening things. But, being that you had so much of that stuff in the cart, I'm guessing…"

"You can just shut your damn mouth Zetsu!"

"Hey, now. Why don't you _all_ shut your mouths, huh? I'm trying to _drive_ here." Kisame grumbled loudly. Ah, it seemed today he wasn't in a very good mood.

On his demand, there was silence in the whole car.

It was only a couple minutes later Kisame began muttering to himself. "I hate Kakuzu. Doesn't have to deal with you stupid brats. Just had to _insist_ that he couldn't deal with them. Tch, nooo. Never have to deal with the others! Dumbass. That's right, just hand them over to me, of _course_ I can deal with them! "

I sighed as quietly as I could. Just a little bit of food, and this will all be over.

At last, Kisame drove up to our humble abode. He was still muttering angrily to himself, but no one was really listening, except for maybe Tobi – oh, no, scratch that, he fell asleep during the ride here. No wonder he didn't make a sound. Must have gotten bored of Kisame's ranting.

Before said ranter even turned the keys, Deidara, Sasori, and the now-awakened Tobi piled out of the car, eager to get away from the forced silence. As I reached over to unclick my seatbelt, I heard Kisame pull the keys out and sigh heavily.

"You know," he started, "I think we should bring the kid over. Too see Itachi."

"Ah, Sasuke?" I questioned, though it was obvious who we were talking about. "I thought he hated Itachi?"

"He does. Oh man, he does." I watched as Kisame's face pulled into a small smile to chuckle. "But, I'm just thinking…Maybe something will trigger. You know, pull at least a small memory back."

"There is that possibility," I agreed. "But, I think maybe we should tell Sasuke what happened first. Just so he doesn't flip as soon as he walks in the door and freak Itachi out."

"Mhm. Just what I was thinking."

"So, when?"

"Well, we have that gig on Saturday. We could probably bribe him to come."

"Sounds good."

"Yep."

I looked around. "So…"

"Yeah, let's go."

You see, this is why I preferred Kisame over the rest of the bunch; he knew exactly what I was talking about, all of my little hints. Good for him.

As we both stepped out of the vehicle, the crashes and yelling were now very clear. When Kisame hid his face in one hand in shame, all I could think was, it's a hard knock life.

----------------------------------

Despite the usual crashing and banging inside the house, there were, in fact, many silences we had.

We were all gathered around the counter in the kitchen, staring at Hidan. Well, not exactly Hidan, per say, but actually the phone in his hand, up to his ear. The way his eyes were squinted, it wasn't anything particularly great.

He hummed nervously into the phone, the way he does when something's not going the way he planned. After humming out an 'umm-hmm', he handed the phone over to Kakuzu, sliding off of the counter and turning his back to us, slicking his hair back with both hands. Another nervous sign.

As far as I knew, it was from the manager of the bar the competition was supposed to be held at. Whatever was going on, the signs Hidan made were pointing to not good. Hopefully, if anything, Kakuzu could fix it.

The only two that didn't seem to notice the situation or just didn't care were Itachi and Sasori. I could understand both views. Itachi, no memory of the band. Sasori, could just care less about the situation, as long as he played. It was just how they were, I suppose.

"So, there's absolutely no way around it?" Kakuzu questioned, his voice near the brink of being harsh. After the answer, Kakuzu sighed, but answered back. "Alright. We'll be ready by Saturday. Yeah. Sure, sure. Bye." Click, the phone went down. Now, to spill the news.

"Alright, guys," Kakuzu started out, his eyes still narrowed in annoyance. "The rules just changed. And, apparently – Sasori, stop picking at your nails and pay attention, for God's sake. This is important."

Sasori looked up drowsily. "I am, I am." Though he obviously still wasn't, it went unnoticed by Kakuzu.

"Apparently," he continued, "we need three cover songs, and two originals. The genres can be anything, but out of the five songs, two of them have to be slow."

"What are we at, a fucking wedding reception?" Deidara chimed in moodily. Out of probably all of us, he detested anything slow. Music-wise, anyway.

"Shut up Deidara, I'm not done." Deidara muttered something back, but it went ignored. "So now, we have to have all of these songs done in two days."

"So what the hell is Hidan freaking out about?" Sasori asked, still picking at his nails.

Kisame hit him in the back of the head. "Duh. Tell me, how many songs do you know by heart – two of them being slow – that you can play on bass."

Sasori paused, thinking. "I'll get back to you on that."

"Exactly." Kisame sighed. "So, what're we going to do?"

"Practice a hell of a lot. That's pretty much the only thing we can do," Kakuzu answered.

There was silence. Then, there was a clap. "Let's go!" Tobi's voice carried, trying to raise motivation. Deidara groaned, standing right next to him.

"My ear."

"All of our ears," Sasori mumbled, then stood up straight form leaning on the counter. "Come on, let's go. Might as well get it done with."

There was a small roar of mumbling and groaning, but we all eventually got ourselves situated next to our instruments, some of us sitting down, some of us leaning against the wall. As for me, I sat down.

There was another short silence. A little feedback from the mic, strings being plucked, and the symbols clashing quietly, but otherwise, nothing.

"So," Kisame broke in, "what now?"

Pretty much the same thought for all of us, dear fellow.


End file.
